


A Place Where Only We Know

by treetrunkdaddy



Category: Promare (2019)
Genre: Dates, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, I just think they deserve to be soff, Minor Injuries, Moving In Together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-23
Updated: 2020-03-23
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:21:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23274637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/treetrunkdaddy/pseuds/treetrunkdaddy
Summary: She was all flame and fire, intense, alluring, and beautiful. Somehow he had captured her and lived alongside her in harmony as if he were really a Burnish, yet he feared the day she’d char him ashen and leave nothing but his dust behind.ORWith the frozen lake naught but a crater in the ground, Aina and Galo search for a special place to call their own.
Relationships: Aina Ardebit/Galo Thymos
Comments: 7
Kudos: 19





	A Place Where Only We Know

**Author's Note:**

  * For [intimatopia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/intimatopia/gifts).



> there may or may not have been exactly one (1) scene of bait and I may or may not have gobbled it up like a fish

The late afternoon light was wrapping itself around her in a balmy embrace, fanning out around her in a warm aura. Looking her way nearly blinded Galo, her silhouette casting a long shadow behind her on the rooftop of the apartment building. Perking up at the sound of his approaching footsteps, Aina turned and smiled brightly at him. 

"Well, what do you think?" She asked, inching closer to him as he swung his legs over the edge and sat next to her. They peered at the streets below, watching the city people mill around like ants. Galo stole another look at Aina, watching her hair sway beside her face.

Every inch of her was welcoming and warm, a mild that belonged in the company of flames. She was beautiful, alluring, and ferociously unpredictable - yet all the same, she was a flame to which he had the privilege to tend.

"Hm...I don't know," Galo answered. "It's nice up here, but it doesn't really feel secluded.” As if to prove his point, he gestured with his foot towards the people below, lurching forward and scaring Aina enough that she reached out to grab him. He put an arm out to stop her from falling, trapping the two of them in what might’ve been the most uncomfortable embrace they’ve yet to share.

Chuckling nervously, Galo averted his gaze and watched the people below again. “It's just another spot in the city, you know?"

Aina pouted, pulling away from Galo and tilting her head up to watch the sky. Brilliant pinks streaked the sky, darting between the few clouds and standing out against the vivid orange. For a moment Galo lost her in the sky, seeing only vague beauty that pulled at his heart in a way nothing - or nobody - else did. 

"I guess you're right," She agreed, sighing in resignation. "That's another one to strike off the list."

The shift in her tone made Galo worry - had he accidentally offended her? "Still, if it's any consolation, I like being here with you now," he offered, shrugging one shoulder in an attempt to make it seem like he wasn’t sweating bullets. Sharp as ever, Aina gave him a once over and shimmied herself back to his side, their hips touching and her hair tickling his arm.

“I’m not mad at you, dummy, don’t worry,” She said, placing her hand on his shoulder to lift herself up and press her lips to his cheek. Everywhere she touched was warm, a feeling Galo wanted to capture and keep around him forever. When she pulled away ever so slightly the feeling lingered, leaving Galo reeling as he tried to grasp exactly what it was. When she rested her head on his shoulder, the warmth stayed. “And just for the record, I like being here with you too.”

The warmth permeated his skin and wrapped around his chest, feeling more like comforting fleece than a deadly serpent.

\---

Galo stopped his trek through the trees momentarily, holding a tree branch out of the way for Aina to duck under as she followed closely behind. The sound of water crashing against itself filled their ears as they continued down the beaten grass path, pushing aside a few branches to get the full view of the small waterfall in front of them. The rocks beneath it were glistening, and when Aina leaned to the side she could see a small opening into a shallow cave behind the falls. The closer to the rushing water she got, she spotted a few beaten cans and broken cigarettes, grass growing around them as if trying to pull them into the ground. She screwed her lips to the side and looked over her shoulder at Galo, who was looking at the surrounding trees. 

“How about this?” He asked with a lopsided grin when she caught his attention. He put his hands on his hips, striking a pose as if he had solved all of their problems. Just to burst his bubble, Aina flattened her gaze and kicked one of the cans hard enough to make a noise.

“Maybe, if we want to share it with someone on any given day,” She replied, stepping tentatively closer to the pool of water beneath the falls. It was almost breathtakingly clear, a few tadpoles swimming happily beneath the rippling surface. When she gently touched her fingertip to the water, they scattered in all different directions, only returning when she pulled away and shook off her hand. 

Galo crouched next to her, drawn to do the same thing as she just did with his whole hand instead of his fingertip. The tadpoles scattered even further, and they were more hesitant to reclaim their territory when Galo finally pulled his hand away.

“It seems like there isn’t any trouble here today, though,” Aina added, drawing her attention away from the water and to Galo’s face. “It’s rather peaceful, don’t you think?”

Just as she finished speaking, Galo flicked the water from his hand at Aina, a mischievous grin stretching across half his face. “Peaceful is just another word for boring.”

His triumphant snickers were cut off by an exaggerated gasp as Aina dunked both hands in the water, cupping them together and splashing it all in Galo’s face. Immediately his laughter was replaced with her own, but his startled expression quickly morphed into one of pure determination as he reached back in the water.

Beneath their hands and arms (and sometimes feet, much to Aina’s chagrin over her socks), the tadpoles and other little creatures scattered, swimming around as if they were in on the game and trying to avoid the attacks. Aina took to circling the pool as best she could, with Galo stepping on the rocks jutting out of the surface and doing his best not to fall in. Every now and then one would lurch forward and send a spray of water towards the other, crystal droplets capturing the sunlight before drenching the opponent. 

As Galo lept from rock to rock, he swept his hand up from beneath the water and sent a wave towards Aina. Her clothes were beginning to stick to her skin in places, a few loose hairs plastered to her forehead as he shielded herself and laughed. Mid-jump, Galo watched over his shoulder as the water droplets seemed to freeze for a moment, surrounding her in a frame of diamonds as she covered her mouth to suppress her giggles. Everything seemed to gravitate around her for that moment: the sun shone down like a spotlight, illuminating her in a brilliant glow. Not for the first time she reminded him of a flame, one so dazzling it hypnotized him as it danced.

He gulped, thinking for the millionth time in the recent days that she wasn’t anything he could keep his hold on for long. The city was changing after the disaster of Kray Foresight’s plan, and he worried that she would be swept up and away as they tried to adjust. They couldn’t even find another place to catch their breath together and relax, away from the hustle and bustle of rebuilding - how could that bode well for them?

His foot landed on a rock beneath him before he could turn his attention from Aina, and it slid out from under him on the slick surface. He yelped as his ankle bent, a stupendous splash halting the world around them as everything went silent. Even the frogs and birds stopped their chatter, wondering if the ruckus was some sort of predator. It wasn’t until Aina called out for him that the world started moving again, unfazed by her splashes as he raced towards him.

“Galo, are you alright?” She asked, kneeling in the water and slowly pulling Galo up. He held his head, covering one side of his face while his hair drooped and hid the other. “Did you hit your head?”

“No, no, I’m okay, I’m-” Galo started, putting a hand on a rock and pushing himself up. Hissing through his teeth, he stopped and fell back down when he put weight back on his ankle. Noticing his pain, Aina readjusted herself and put his arm over her shoulders, helping pull him out of the water and back to the bikes they left a little ways down the trail.

“No, really, Aina, I’m okay-” Galo tried to exist, stopping only when a tree rushed forward to hit his head. 

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll get you to the hospital so they can check on your ankle.”

“I don’t need to go-”

“And then I’ll convince the others to let us have the day off,” She added, knowing that would shut him up. While both of them loved their job, Aina could tell the temptation to sit around while his ankle was hurting so much was strong, and not being forced to be alone would only sweeten the pot. “But only if you behave, okay? No heroic fables.”

Although it was with a pout, Galo agreed to her terms.

\---

After a few days of being bound to the couch, Galo was ready to jump into action. His doctor, however, insisted he had a few weeks to go still. He was full of anxious energy, shaking his foot as he sprawled across the couch and watched tv that he often ended up knocking the fake plant and photo frame off the end table. A few times, he tried escaping the apartment to go back to work. The first time he managed to make it to the fire station and Aina was out on a job. Within a few minutes, Remi was pushing him back towards her apartment, threatening to call her over and have her carry him there if he didn’t stop resisting. There were a few other times he tried, but Aina had been told about the first attempt and always managed to catch him and put him back on the couch, making sure he heard the door lock behind her on the way out.

Still, he did get a few surprise visits from her where she wasn’t expecting to see him climbing out a window to escape. Whenever she could she brought food and shared a lunch with him, chatting about the day so far and how the others wished him a speedy recovery (though her reports were always obviously sugar-coated, he appreciated that they even bothered to mention him while he was away). Aside from the playful swats he got when he made a suggestive comment about getting a costume if she was going to act as his nurse, Aina was always tender with him, placing pillows under his foot or fluffing the ones beneath his head. Some days were busier than others, and he was forced to stay in the unfamiliar space alone until her shift was over, and the scenery was beginning to get boring.

When she finally came through her door, the smell of pizza made him perk up slightly. “I hope you don’t mind that I brought home dinner,” She called, dropping her back by the door and kicking off her shoes carelessly, exhaustion adding a clear edge to her voice. “I’m beat.”

Galo scrambled to move his foot and shift himself so Aina could join him on the couch, smiling at her when she put the pizza and two plates on the short table in front of him. She returned the gesture before a yawn interrupted her.

“It’s no problem,” He assured, helping himself as she turned on a lamp nearby. “I should be thanking you, actually.”

“You thank me every day,” Aina responded, grabbing her own pizza and settling next to him. They were touching, hip to hip and bumping elbows, but neither cared enough to bring it up. “I don’t mind keeping an eye on you.”

Chewing in thoughtful silence, Galo watched the show on the television in front of them mindlessly before swallowing and asking, “Why are you doing this, exactly?”

“Hm?” Aina hummed, looking up at him.

“Why are you keeping me in your house? I could just stay in my own apartment, and I wouldn’t bother you that way.”

The way Aina furrowed her eyebrows was cute, her displeasure showing as if he had just insulted her and her sister with one comment. “You aren’t bothering me! I just thought it’d be less lonely for you here, and you’d have someone to take care of you. I mean, I’m not here all day, every day, but….” She trailed off, casting her gaze to the pizza box as she formed her response carefully. 

With the light from the tv flickering on her face, Galo considered her a blue blazing flame, too hot to touch but just as tempting. Except, he realized with a jolt, they were touching, connected at the hip quite literally and yet he wasn’t burning to ash. It was as if he was realizing he was a Burnish, powers awakening and dazzling flame dancing in his palm. If something like that were true…

_...then wait, did he sprain his ankle and put himself out of commission over nothing???_

Aina seemed to find her words before Galo had a chance to leap up and yell about his new discovery. “Even if I’m not here all the time, I thought you might like some company. And I’ve enjoyed your company here, too,” She finally admitted, face tinted as pink as her hair and undoubtedly _warm._ Galo was grinning at her, a fact that made her narrow her eyes in protest. “What’s that stupid look on your face for?” She asked, voice shrill in embarrassment.

“Oh, I just realized something,” He answered proudly, puffing out his chest for dramatic effect. “It’s like I’m a Burnish and you’re my flame!” When Aina didn’t immediately swoon, Galo tried to stop himself from deflating and rushed to defend himself. “Y-you know, because I think you’re bright and beautiful and really cool!”

When Aina’s incredulous look melted to give way to her snickers, she stopped herself from telling him and of the thousands of things she could say to disprove and discourage him. Instead, she only said, “That could’ve been really romantic if you had thought about it a little longer.”

“Well, you were yelling at me!” He insisted, crossing his arms. He couldn’t say he was entirely displeased with her reaction, chuckling himself after a few seconds passed. Then it was quiet, a strange hesitance still hanging in the air around them.

“Hey…” Aina said, voice smaller than normal. “What would you think about staying here after you recover?”

Galo raised an eyebrow, watching her look around the room slowly to avoid his gaze. “I wouldn’t mind letting you decorate a little bit since I know pink isn’t really your style, but we both have to agree,” she mused, eyeing some pink fluffy frame on the wall by the door as she spoke.

“Wait, Aina, what are you…” Lowering his arms, Galo slowly trailed off as Aina finally looked at him, the blush on her face a little deeper than before.

“I’m asking if you’d like to move in with me. You know, when you’re feeling better.”

Galo let his mouth drop open in disbelief. “For real??”

“Yes.”

“...really?”

“Please don’t make me take it back.”

A few beats passed before Galo’s shock turned into a grin. Nearly throwing his food on the ground in his excitement, he wrapped his arms around Aina and held her in a bone crushing hug, ignoring her cries for him to loosen up. “What gave you that idea?” He asked loudly.

“We’ve been talking about it for a while now, remember?” She asked, voice muffled by his chest. “Besides, since we haven’t had much luck finding another hideout...why don’t we use this as a stand in? We can keep looking, but I thought it’d be….nice.”

Finally he released her, holding her at arm’s length while she caught her breath. “I’ll make sure it’s nice! I’ll make sure to be the best roommate ever, to pay you back for all the help you’ve given me!”

Aina bit back the remark about his resolve on that lasting little more than a week and gently smacked one of his arms to get him to let go of her. He did, for a millisecond - then he gently grabbed her face and put his forehead on hers, grinning wider all the while.

“I mean it! You make me really, really happy and I want to make sure I do that too,” Earnestness bled from his words as he idly ran a hand through Aina’s loose hair, leaving her to lean into the one still by her cheek. 

“You already do,” She sighed, lifting her own hand to grab his and hold it closer to her cheek. “And, just for the record, house rule number one is to not do... _this._ At least not without warning.”

Again, Galo chuckled. “I can do that.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked this little fic! Feel free to follow me and see what I'm up to! Also I'm not sure how popular this pairing is if at all BUT if you liked it please scream at me about it because they are just so good!!
> 
> [tumblr](https://atsuviste.tumblr.com/) ❁ [twitter](https://twitter.com/osamushiis)


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